Untouchable Herbert makes the difference

Ladies' College 0, Jersey College for Girls 5

SCORELINES can be deceptive. Jersey College for Girls completed what appears to be a comprehensive defeat of Ladies' College in the glorious spring sunshine, but as has been the case with this school year of girls for quite a while, one player made the difference.

Beckie Herbert is exceptional. It is difficult to underline just how much better than her peers she is.

Here is the England Under-16 skipper who has toured with England B - oh, and who also just happens to have played two full international matches - turning out in midfield for her school team.

So Ladies' College were always up against the odds. Take Herbert out of the equation, however, and you are left with a pretty even contest.

There was much to admire from the Sarnians.

Ellie Knowelden showed just why she has earned a place in the island 1st XI for the inter-insulars. So often the last defender between Herbert and the goal, Knowelden produced some fine tackles and clearances. Her pace in recovery also helped her cover when the ball was moved across the pitch.

Goalkeeper Trudy Pye also came out of the match with much credit. She has represented the island under-15s already this season and more representative honours are sure to follow if she maintains her development. Her kicking and positioning were spot-on and one one-handed save high to her left to deny Jamey Herbert, younger sister of Beckie, was out of the top drawer.

Fiona Strobridge ran tirelessly all game until a late ankle twist forced her to the sidelines. Her energy and commitment helped blunt the attacking skills of Beckie Herbert.

At left back, Pui-Jee Lai gave an assured performance; up front Elena Johnson's pace had the visitors struggling at times and she tested Megan Langlois in the Jersey goal three or four times.

But it was Beckie Herbert's game. Silky-smooth control allied to her show-and-tease dribbling were too much for the home defenders. She would drive at her opponents with the ball on her open side, draw the challenge, then in a flash move the ball onto her reverse side and skip round.

The only slight chink may be that she tended to beat players to their right and if she is double-teamed at the inter-insulars, she could find her path blocked by a second defender.

When given even the slightest space, she prospered. Her first goal, on three minutes, came after a mazy run left four defenders trailing, the ball touched under Pye from close range.

Her second, on 19min., following up after her short-corner strike was half-blocked, was another piece of jinking skill and a sharp eye for the gap under the keeper's body.

The Sarnians never flagged, though, and turned around level in terms of chances created and possession of the ball.

At the start of the second half, Johnson beat three opponents and forced a sharp stop from Langlois and Knowelden's short-corner strike was deflected just wide of the keeper's right post. Lai kept Guernsey in the game with an excellent block at the keeper's left post from another Herbert short-corner and Pye tipped away Jamey Herbert's undercut superbly.

It was a shame that a soft third goal killed the match, the older Herbert creating havoc in the D and Lucy Hillesden slotting in from close range.

A minute later, Pye kept out Jamey Herbert's reverse-stick shot only for Katy Howell to follow up and score and late on Jamey Herbert skipped through into the D and steered a shot in off the far post to give the scoreline an undeserved look.